The girl in the orchard
by Blitzjewel
Summary: What if someone had saved rue from dieing that day...what would have happened. Alternate story.
1. Nets

Quick fact: This takes place right after Katniss destroys the supplies at the cornucopia. Rue's POV. Enjoy! Oh and REVIEW please!

"Katniss!" I yell at the top of my voice. How could I have been so stupid not to notice the trap? I can already feel dark steel wool cutting my hands, legs and back, a small stream of blood dripping onto the ground. The trap itself is small, almost too small for me even and that's when it hits me. Whoever made the trap knew that none of the tributes that are left could fit into it…except me. I gulp nervously and try for a second time to grab the knife on the back of my pants. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, I finally find the handle and then…. "NO!" I scream as it falls out of my bloody hands into the puddle onto the ground. That knife was the only thing on my that didn't fall off and now it was hopeless.

"Katniss!" I scream again, not caring if someone else hears me, "Help me! KATNISS!" I scream the last word, almost crying. Then there was a rustle in the bushes behind me. I feel a weird feeling of dread in my gut, as if my body already knew that death was coming for me. Carefully turning my head I almost scream again when I see who it is. One of the tribute boys (I had no idea from which district.) stood there. His face was a mess of blood and dirt and… stingers? That's when I realize, he's one of the people I dropped the tracker jacker nest on the second day. How he was still alive I had no idea. In his hand was a spear covered in rust and dirt, probably to make who ever he throw's it at death even more painful. I scream again, as loud as I could when he starts walking towards me, smirking. His neck was completely swollen and he probably couldn't talk any more. Once he gets to the net, I scream as he trust the spear at my hand. A long, jagged cut goes up my arm digging deeply into it. I scream as I futile try to struggle away from. The boy smirks again and laughs a horrible, ragged sound that doesn't sound even human any more. It hits me that he's not just going to kill me off quickly; he's going to torture me till I die a slow painful death. I scream again as he aims it again, this time at my stomach. Then from behind me I heard someone scream my name, "RUE!" and then bam! The tribute boy was on the floor, dead with a large knife through his head. I quickly turn my head to see, not Katniss, but thresh standing there holding another knife in his hand. "Thresh!" I scream, feeling relived. But then it turns to dread when he comes running to the net with the knife in his hand. For a second, I'm scared that he's going to finish what that boy started. "No!" I scream when he gets there and attempt to struggle away from his hand. "Rue, stay still. I swear on my life I won't hurt. Now don't move", he said calmly, though I could hear the anger in his voice when he sees my wound, and starts cutting at the top. After almost ten minutes, it finally gave way, dropping me to ground roughly. Thresh was at my side in an instant, pulling me into his arms. It took a second for me to relax since he had never done that to me before. Then before I knew it, I was crying and pulling myself closer into him. I didn't even care if it made me look weak, I was done being tough for that STUPID capital and CRUEL fun. Let them laugh all they want. I don't care. I just want this nightmare to be over.

In every district, all over the capital, for the first time since the game started, no one is watching the lovebirds of district twelve. In the capital, where minutes ago people where laughing and carrying on like normally, it's silent. Everyone is watching the tributes of eleven and the young girl who crying. People are shocked. No one has ever cried on the hunger games. It makes you look weak. Oh some have of course but usually they were meet with laughter. But now, in the square where a huge screen has the games on 24/7, a mother looks down at here own 12 year-old daughter and something hits both her and many, many other people. Just minutes ago they were laughing at that girl dyeing and now, it finally hits them. They are watching a little 12 year-old girl being forced to kill people twice her size and eventually be killed herself. Some start crying. Some become angry. The mother grabs her daughter in a tight hug and starts crying. And in every district, there is barely a dry eye. It's no longer just watching some lovebirds kissing each other or hiding there emotions. After 74 years, it's finally hit them.

Thresh's POV= I can't believe that I just did that. Deep inside I know that it would be better to just let her die, but I don't care. After Hearing her scream and seeing him hurt her, I'm glad I did that. After letting her cry for a few minutes I pull away so I can check the wound. It's already starting to heal but it's very dirty with rust and dirt. I frown and start to look through one of my bags for a first aid kit. AS soon as I find though I realize that it's probably pointless. There's a good chance that she already has some kind of rust posing or what ever because of the spear. Still, I grabbed some cream and bandages and start cleaning the wounds, being as careful as I can be since from the sound of her breathing she could start crying again at any moment. Finally, after I find my voice again, I can finally ask, "Rue what happened to you? Weren't you with that district twelve girl?" she shifts uncomfortably then says quietly, "We were but she decided that she would try to destroy the careers food supply. She wanted me to stay here. And you know the rest with the net." She sigh's, then starts up again, "I'm worried though Thresh. She was supposed to come back as soon as she finished it…..I hope she didn't get caught because there was a cannon a little bit ago." I nod then, "Don't worry rue; I'm sure she'll be fine." I try to say this hopefully but honestly, I think that girl deserves whatever happened to her out there. It's her fault that Rue almost died. I don't care how fondly Rue is of her, I don't trust her one bit. "But anyway, we should get out of here; he may have some friends around. Can you walk?" She nods and gets up to prove it. "Good. Let's go." And why started heading over to the other side of the forests.

Hope you guys enjoy, see you next chapter! Review please!


	2. Snares

After almost two hours of hiking, we finally make it over to the cornucopia. The entire are is destroyed. All the dirt and grass is streaked black and pieces of supplies are everywhere. I don't know how she did but Katniss did a pretty good job on it.

"You think any of this stuff is still good?" I ask Thresh, pulling a knife blade out of the ground.

"I don't think so. If there was anything left the careers probably already got it. C'mon."

We start heading towards the north forest area were Thresh camp is. For the entire time we've been walking, I keep turning my head behind me to check the way we just went. Ever since we left that clearing, I can't help feeling worried. There was a girl with that boy tribute and if memory serves I haven't seen her on the sky yet. Shivering slightly, I run a little bit to catch up with Thresh. But just as we get to his camp, He falls flat on his back with no warning.

"Thresh!" I yell and crouch by him to see what was wrong. There's a string around is ankle and that's when I see that it's a snare trap. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine it just got me by surprise. What I liked to know is why the heck a snare trap is doing here." he says pretty calmly. I Grab my knife and carefully cut it off him. Whoever made defiantly knew what they were doing and took time on it

"Is it one of yours?" I ask softly. The last thing I want is him to think is that I think he can't remember where he placed his traps at.

"No. I only have one and it's on the other side." He picks it up to examine it and says, "There's a good chance that it's one of careers snares." He stands up, slightly wincing, and continues walking. I follow but my mind wanders to the snare. I've seen the knot on the top before. It's the same one that was on the snare that Katniss made, the one she called her 'special knot'. But, why would she setting a trap up so close to this place. It's over three hours hike from where I was and why would she head back this way? Because she knew thresh was here. But why? Why would she try to hurt Thresh? She wanted to hurt him. Ugh, I shook my head to try and get the thought out of it. That was the last thing I wanted to think about. Thresh, who this whole time was walking rather quickly, stopped abruptly, causing me run into him.

"We're here." He says, slightly relived. From the way he was walking, it looked like his ankle was starting to hurt. He probably couldn't wait to get back here.

I almost gasp when I see the camp. It's filled with a bunch of weapons, food, even medicine. No wonder I haven't seen him since the beginning. He had no need to.

"Come on. We should go ahead and change your bandage." I looked down at it and noticed that it was starting to leak again. Motioning me to sit, he grabbed a first-aid kit and started cleaning it again. When he was done, I grabbed his sleeve, getting a questioning look in response.

"I want to take care of your ankle. Sit." I say slightly demanding. He chuckled slightly, but complied with my demand. Once I'm done, we both settle in for the night, each us getting our small cave in the rock sheaf around the camp site. Just as I start to fall asleep though, the anthem starts. I look up just in time to see the boy from earlier up in the sky, although I almost don't recognize him with his normal face. He's the only one tonight. Then, a thought comes to my mind. When I dropped the nest on him, there was a girl with him, probably his fellow district tribute. I haven't seen her face yet so I know see's not dead. A cold shiver runs through me. What if she tries to get revenge? Not just for the nest but also for the boy as well. Sighing, I lay back down again. No use thinking about it now when the damage is already done.

_Sorry it took so long for this chapter but a lot of stuff has been going on lately. Oh well. Any way, thanks for all the reviews and favorites. You guys are epic. See you next chapter and till then, **May the odds be ever in your favor.**_

_Oh how I love Effie. Bye!_


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